Disabled woman ‘starved after carer mother died’

A disabled woman may have starved to death in her home after her mother, who cared for her full time, died suddenly.

The 56-year-old woman and her daughter, aged 29, were found on Saturday after concerns were raised about their welfare.

Police confirmed today that a post mortem had not found any evidence the pair had been attacked and that the deaths were not suspicious. Hertfordshire police said further tests were being carried out to establish how they died.

The mother was named locally as Stephanie Wolf. There is speculation she died suddenly, leaving her paralysed daughter unable to care for herself. Police are also investigating the possibility she may have killed her daughter before taking her own life. The bodies were discovered at an address in Wheathampstead.

Neighbour Angela Goodwin said: "They must have lived here for around 15 years. The mother used to say hello occasionally but I didn't know their names."

It is believed the bodies may have lain undiscovered in the three-bedroom property for a number of weeks and had partially decomposed. The alarm was raised by a man delivering leaflets who noticed flies swarming around the letterbox. There were reports that Mrs Wolf had become increasingly worn down by the burden of caring for her daughter.

One neighbour said she had become more reclusive and "very depressed" for the past year.

It was also claimed that three years ago, Mrs Wolf put a large sign on the roof of the bungalow reading "help". A spokeswoman for Hertfordshire Police said investigators were not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.

Hertfordshire county council today said the mother had refused the help of social workers. But a source said social services still had a duty to care for families who needed help, even if they refused it.